


Lone Tree, swaying in the wind...

by Hungry_AloeLeaf



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Animal Death, Old Fic, Root is technically there, Self-Hatred, Self-not-liking, Was supposed to be longer but maybe it's more concluded this way, and suddenly, before i could sit and marinate on the offer, but...maybe it's not harsh enough for that, grieving/mourning, i mean maybe it's, i'm sorree! not trying to be mean, i'm sorry but i don't. do things like that, just got scared and zapped it out of existence, part of the "yell at me whenever you see a tense switch" challenge, poor Tree, probably did this after reading Tree's Roots, they did Tree so dirty, this could've been a vent but whatever, tried something a little bit new, you did me a tiny spook so that's the main reason why it's gone, you understand good and well why he was so mad at Moonlight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 08:29:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27967595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hungry_AloeLeaf/pseuds/Hungry_AloeLeaf
Summary: After the death of his father, Tree finds himself truly alone.warnings: dead body, animal death
Relationships: Tree & Root (Warriors)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Lone Tree, swaying in the wind...

Sorrow numbed Tree’s body as he stared down at his father’s corpse.

Shaky breaths swelled in his chest, and he focused on them, vision blurring as he stood surveying the bloody scene.

“No…” He whispered gently, placing a paw on the yellow tom’s still-warm cheek.

His vision slipped away, replaced with the image of Hawk; the two cats that had threatened them. The fox’s merciless jaws. His father’s recent gargles of pain as his spirit left the body.

Tree tensed, panic pushing his heart to race, claws digging into the ground as he bent over his father’s body with a loud scream of anguish.

The earth didn’t respond.

The spirits didn’t respond.

The only thing that touched him was Root’s purple blood, still oozing from his wounds and parted jaws. Tree straightened, muzzle screwing up as his belly twisted in pain.

“You were an amazing cat, Root.” He used one paw to close the tomcat’s glazed over eyes, and shut the bleeding mouth. “I will never forget you. Not for as long as I live.”

_I shouldn’t have lived. Three times I could have died, and others paid the consequence._

Tree brought his gaze to the evening sky, finding himself staring directly at the stars. With a growl, he stepped over Root’s body. His paws struck the traitorous earth, peeling away the grass, the dirt, the pebbles as he began to dig.

“There are no spirits.” He grumbled sourly, huffing when the work was done.

Gently, slowly, he took his father’s delicate body by the scruff and lowered him inside. He pushed the dirt over the corpse. He sat back, stunned of course, but also feeling empty. He shifted, feeling as if he were unable to move from that spot.

“I’ll sit in remembrance tonight.” He solemnly bowed his head, recalling how his old friend, Stream, never got a proper vigil or anything. “I remember you, Stream. I remember you, Root. I will remember you always.”

And silent stars watched that night as Tree grieved. Cried. Neglected sleep.

The sun peeked over the horizon to watch as well, many hours later. When the first ray of sun struck his face, Tree wordlessly stood.

_Goodbye._

He turned; paws unsure of where they were going. But he knew he didn’t need the ground to tell him where to go.

He’d decide that for himself.

The yellow tom glared directly at the sun, which was rising higher and higher. Despite the chilly breeze, his pelt was warmed by the light.

And he was going east.

\---

A mouse scuttled furiously from its home in a hollowed branch, racing out towards the moors. It stilled when it passed a few bushes. To its immense shock, one of the bushes raised a large paw.

Tree bit the prey’s neck, belly rumbling as the gush of the mouse’s nutty-tasting blood flooded his mouth. Although his stomach was grumbling, he didn’t quite have much of an appetite. But he hadn’t eaten in a day already. If he wanted to keep traveling, he had to keep his strength up…

He sighed defeatedly, plopping down beside the branch. He’d been taking too many stops anyways. Honestly, he knew he had no destination. He knew there wasn’t much of a hurry. He knew he certainly didn’t want to wander.

Tree sniffed the mouse, ears flicking.

It’d been four moons since Root’s untimely death – and Tree couldn’t say he’d been taking the losses of both his best friend and his father too well. He constantly stopped on his journey to nowhere because he simply didn’t feel like doing much. It was a stupid excuse, but what else would one expect from a stupid cat like him?

He grimaced, using his teeth to peel back the skin and fur of the mouse before he took a nibble. The flavor was warm, like the patches on sunshine littering his back, but he knew in his heart it’d be better with somebody to share it with. He shook his head furiously.

“I need to stop thinking that…”

But, how could he? It had happened, and it would always haunt him, no matter how hard he tried to shake it off.

 _No!_ All he had to do was sit here and eat and journey onwards. It wasn’t that hard! He was just making it hard.

Just like he’d done to everyone else…

A growl ripped painfully from his throat as Tree glared at the mouse. Stupid mouse. Stupid Tree. He bit the little things neck, only able to wish the small thing could feel a small fraction of the pain he felt.

It wasn’t fair. Why couldn’t Tree be a mouse? Mice didn’t have to sob over their dead loved ones. Somehow, they kept on moving, kept on ticking, until their inevitable fate at the paws of a larger creature came to pass. They died to provide something for whoever they had been killed for.

The fact that Tree wasn’t a mouse was scandalous. The fact that his own neck wasn’t stained was unrighteous.

He finally bit into the mouse, crunching down on the bones, unflinching when a shard pierced the roof of his mouth.

After the mouse was gone, the world became dark and muddled. Tree could hardly keep his eyes open. He didn’t quite want to.

He lowered his head on his paws, curling his tail around himself for something close to warmth.

He slept that night, and only arose in the morning to walk again.

**Author's Note:**

> wow i love it when i find some old stuff that isn't completely gross/a disaster
> 
> As a reminder,  
> Comments, kudos, and bookmarks are always appreciated! Thanks for taking time out of your day/night to read this leaf's cat stuff (especially this old stuff like this, gosh) and as always, hope you enjoyed


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